At first, she didn’t think she could speak. Time stood still and all she could focus on was Ray’s hand on hers. It had always been such a cliché to her, electricity flowing between people, but at that minute, she felt it. How could she feel something for both Ray and Aaron? How could her toes get all tingly and her skin betray her with both of them? She never thought she’d be that kind of girl to lead two guys on, but it turned out, she was. Not because she was being mean, but because she truly, honestly, couldn’t choose between them. She had feelings for both.
“Aaron said he’d send me a text when he talked to the flower shop so we’ll know soon. Then we’ll decide on our next move, okay?”
We’ll decide our next move… like this had anything to do with him. “I’ll decide my next move.” She pulled her hand away from his. “It’s my life, Ray. My stalker. I have to decide how to handle it.”
Ray’s face changed from loving to frustration. “Other people in this world care about you, Sloan. You may not believe it, but we do. We want to help. Why do you keep shutting me out?”
She noticed how he changed the last sentence. Instead of us, it was me. Why do you keep shutting me out?
“Because… I…”
The bell rang, saving Sloan from saying something she might regret later. She turned around and heard Mrs. Knight shut the door. The teacher had her hair pulled partially back with a barrette and wore a pearl necklace around her neck. For such a young woman, she dressed older than most teachers there. Older, but much more stylish. Probably because she wanted to be taken seriously. Her face didn’t look a day over twenty-five.
“Get out your books and pass your homework up to the front,” she instructed, causing Sloan to sit up straighter.
Holy cow! Her homework! She’d forgotten her homework! After all of that trouble groveling and getting it from Darcy, she’d completely forgotten about it! She’d been so sleepy when she’d gotten home, then the letters in rose petals no one else saw, and then the kiss from Aaron, she’d sort of let trivial things like homework go by the wayside.
The now familiar sick feeling invaded her stomach and she wanted to crawl under the chair.
Ray tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned her neck. Laying over her arm were two folded pieces of paper. She grabbed them both, happy for Ray that he’d remembered to do them. When she got them in front of her, she noticed one of the papers had her name on it.
Shocked, she turned half way around.
“Figured you’d forget,” Ray mouthed. “My brother has that effect on girls.” His lip curved slightly before turning his attention back to Mrs. Knight.
Sloan’s heart sank. So the kiss had bothered him. She bet it had been fun at their house last night.
“Thank you.” She mouthed, hoping to get his attention.
He slid his gaze toward her and then with a quick nod, he focused back on Mrs. Knight.
Sloan turned around in her seat and felt awful. Donna had been right. She shouldn’t have strung both brothers on. Not that it had been her intention, but if she wanted to be honest with herself, she knew she had been. If either brother had gotten a girlfriend or dated someone, she would have been jealous. She couldn’t help it. It was the way of the world, but it wasn’t right.
When this was all over, she needed to have a talk with both of them. She wasn’t entirely sure who she’d choose, or if he would take her, but she knew it was necessary. They couldn’t keep going on like this.
Mrs. Knight lectured most of the class. Sloan tried to take notes, but ended up idly doodling flowers and boxes all over her paper. She didn’t pay much attention to her pictures until Mrs. Knight announced it was time to write down their assignment for the night.
Roses.
She’d filled her notebook paper full of roses.
Because that wasn’t crazy at all.
Sloan threw her pencil down. It rolled over her book and onto the floor. Normally, a pencil dropping didn’t make much of a sound… unless the pencil dropped in a high school classroom with twenty other people being quiet and focusing on the teacher.
Once the pencil echoed through the room, everyone turned her direction.
Everyone.
Tanner in the front row.
Darcy beside of him. She rolled her eyes and shook her head before turning back to the front. Apparently, she was going back to her old self. Who could blame her? Sloan had accused her of trying to sneak into her locker.
“Miss Bridges. Something we can help you with?” Mrs. Knight asked from the front. She clasped her hands together and rocked back on her heels in that annoyed stance teachers use when they are, well… annoyed.
“No, ma’am. It just dropped out of my hand. I’m sorry.” Sloan slid down to get it with her toes.
“I saw her throw it, Mrs. Knight,” Tanner, jerky jock-slash-druggie, said as he leaned back in his seat. “I think Saint Sloan was protesting your homework.”
There it was again. Saint Sloan. Would these people give it a rest? There wasn’t anything saintly about her.
“Saint Sloan?” Mrs. Knight raised a brow at Tanner. Apparently, she hadn’t heard about her nickname. Perfect. Time to drag out how she’d gotten it. Sloan shut her eyes and took a big deep breath while she fumbled with getting her pencil from the floor.